Page 36 of North Queen
“James,” she said, reaching for as genuine a smile as she could manage. She caught a glint of a tear in his eye, but he cleared his throat.
“Though years belated, let me express my sorrow for the loss of your father. He’s greatly missed. As you’ve been.”
Norah nodded, unable to speak. Her father had died in the war while she’d been gone. Was she expected to be mourning him? She wished she could remember him so that she could. But she did mourn everything she’d lost. “Thank you,” she replied. “It’s still difficult to speak of him.” That was truthful enough.
James squeezed her hand in understanding. “There’s so much to cover since you’ve been gone. And with your coronation fast approaching, I can understand that you might still be in shock of it all.”
Norah let out a relieved breath. Finally, someone who seemed to understand, at least a sliver.
“You probably don’t feel ready for this,” he said.
If he only knew…
“Is anyone ever truly ready?” Catherine asked.
He gave a small nod, thinking. “Might we go for a walk?” he asked Norah.
“Um…” she said uneasily, looking back at her grandmother.
“James,” Catherine said, trying to intervene. “Edward is looking to set up a state now that you’ve returned. You’ll have ample opportunity—”
“Yes, I look forward to it,” he said, giving her a bow of his head. “But I would like to speak to the princess now.” He turned back to Norah. “Shall we?”
Norah glanced back at Catherine, who she knew couldn’t do much more. “Of course,” she replied uneasily. She tried to steady her breath as she walked with James out of the hall.
“All this must be quite overwhelming,” he started.
She couldn’t help a small smile. She appreciated his empathy. “It is,” she admitted.
“Where have you been, Norah?”
She continued walking, trying to not let his directness intimidate her. The sun was setting over the castle, casting long shadows through the hall.
“I can’t share that, at least not yet,” she said, as confidently as she could manage.
“And why is that? Is there no longer trust between us?”
Her mind searched for words. She wished she’d been better prepared. “My father wished to keep it a secret. Secretly.”Keep a secret secretly?So stupid.She cursed herself.
James’s eyes narrowed as her heart beat in her ears. “Is that so?”
She shifted. “Yes.”
“And when will you be able to share thissecretsecret?”
Norah cleared her throat. “Soon. I hope.” And she did hope.
James nodded with a pondering frown. “It’s interesting.”
She frowned. “What is?”
“When you lie.”
Her stomach tumbled.
He stopped and turned toward her, his eyes holding her captive. “You always seem to have a valiant reason, as I’m sure you do now. But youarelying.”
Norah’s breath caught in her throat, and she nearly choked as she swallowed. She couldn’t bear his gaze, but she couldn’t turn away.
